Stator for rotary electric machine and manufacturing apparatus thereof

ABSTRACT

A stator for a rotary electric machine includes a stator coil configured such that a tip end of a conductor segment bent in a stator circumferential direction is joined to a tip end of another conductor segment in the same phase. A conductive material is exposed from the tip ends of the conductor segments, and a distance between the tip ends in different phases and adjacent to each other in the stator circumferential direction is larger than a distance between the tip ends in the same phase and adjacent to each other in the stator circumferential direction.

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

The disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 2017-046464 filed onMar. 10, 2017 including the specification, drawings and abstract isincorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND 1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to a stator for a rotary electric machineand a manufacturing apparatus thereof, and particularly to a stator fora rotary electric machine including a stator coil configured such that atip end of a conductor segment projecting from a slot of a stator coreis joined to a tip end of another conductor segment in the same phase.

2. Description of Related Art

There is a segment coil as a stator coil wound around a stator core of arotary electric machine. The segment coil is configured such that aconductor segment made of a flat lead wire bent in a U-shape is insertedinto a slot of a stator core, and a part projecting from the slot isbent in a stator circumferential direction, so as to be joined bywelding to a tip end of another conductor segment, for example.

Surfaces of the conductor segments are covered with insulating coatings,and at the time of welding, the insulating coatings of the tip ends ofthe conductor segments to be joined are removed. The tip ends (conductorexposed parts) where the insulating coatings are removed are joined toeach other by welding by TIG arc welding (Tungsten Inert Gas welding) orlaser irradiation (e.g., see Japanese Patent Application Publication No.2014-007795 (JP 2014-007795 A)).

SUMMARY

In recent years, a rotary electric machine has been downsized, and adiameter of a stator core including segment coils tends to be reduced.When the diameter of the stator core is reduced, a joining part (a tipend) of a conductor segment forming a segment coil and a joining part ofits adjacent conductor segment in a different phase is shortened, whichmakes it difficult to secure an insulating property between the joiningparts.

Particularly, like a stator described in JP 2014-007795 A, in a case ofa segment coil having a structure in which linear parts of conductorsegments are eliminated and intersecting parts of the conductor segmentsare joined to each other by laser irradiation, a creepage distancebetween joining parts of the conductor segments are short, which makesit difficult to secure the insulating property.

Further, it is also conceivable that the joining parts of the conductorsegments are coated with insulation resin. However, a step of insulatingthe joining parts after welding is required and an insulation resinmaterial to coat the joining parts is also required, which increasescosts.

In view of this, the present disclosure improves an insulating propertyof joining parts of conductor segments in a stator including a segmentcoil.

A first aspect of the present disclosure relates to a stator for arotary electric machine. The stator includes: a stator core includingslots provided at a plurality of positions in a circumferentialdirection; and a stator coil configured such that a tip end of aconductor segment projecting from a stator-core axial end of each of theslots and bent in the circumferential direction of the stator core isjoined to a tip end of another conductor segment in the same phase. Aconductive material is exposed from the tip ends of the conductorsegments, and a distance between the tip ends in different phases andadjacent to each other in the circumferential direction of the statorcore is larger than a distance between the tip ends in the same phaseand adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction of thestator core.

With the above configuration, in the stator including a segment coil, itis possible to improve an insulating property between joining ends ofthe conductor segments.

In the stator for the rotary electric machine, a distance between theconductor segments in different phases and adjacent to each other in thecircumferential direction of the stator core may be larger than adistance between the conductor segments in the same phase and adjacentto each other in the circumferential direction of the stator core.

A second aspect of the present disclosure relates to a manufacturingapparatus for a stator for a rotary electric machine. The manufacturingapparatus includes a jig configured to bend, in a stator-corecircumferential direction, conductor segments projecting fromstator-core axial end surfaces of slots provided in a stator core. Thejig includes a first jig configured to bend one conductor segment out ofthe conductor segments in the same phase and adjacent to each other inthe stator-core circumferential direction, and a second jig configuredto bend the other conductor segment. The second jig is configured tobend the other conductor segment such that a tip end of the otherconductor segment approaches a tip end of the one conductor segment at atime when the first jig bends the one conductor segment.

In the manufacturing apparatus for the stator for the rotary electricmachine, the first jig may include a protrusion configured to bend theone conductor segment. The protrusion may include a tilting surfaceconfigured to abut with the tip end of the one conductor segment and totilt and bend the one conductor segment in the circumferentialdirection, and a position defining surface configured to define aposition of the tip end of the one conductor segment after the oneconductor segment is bent.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Features, advantages, and technical and industrial significance ofexemplary embodiments of the disclosure will be described below withreference to the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals denotelike elements, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is an enlarged perspective view around a coil end of a stator fora rotary electric machine;

FIG. 2 is a schematic front view of a conductor segment beforeassembling to a stator core;

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a segment coil to describe an arrangementrelationship of joining parts of conductor segments in each phase;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a part A in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a schematic configuration diagram of a bending device forbending conductor segments;

FIG. 6 is a partially enlarged view of a jig of the bending device andis a drawing illustrating an arrangement relationship between the jigand the stator core;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along a line VII-VII of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a flowchart to describe a manufacturing method of a stator;

FIG. 9 is an explanatory view of an operation of the jig at the timewhen the conductor segments are bent; and

FIG. 10 is another explanatory view of an operation of the jig at thetime when the conductor segments are bent.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

A configuration of a stator 20 for a rotary electric machine isdescribed with reference to the drawings. Note that, in the followingdescription, an “axial direction,” a “circumferential direction,” and a“radial direction” indicate an axial direction, a circumferentialdirection, and a radial direction of the stator 20 for the rotaryelectric machine.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the stator 20 for the rotary electric machineincludes a stator core 22 and a stator coil 24. The stator core 22 isconfigured such that a plurality of electromagnetic steel sheets islaminated in an axial direction. The stator core 22 includes a generallycylindrical yoke 26, and a plurality of teeth 28 projecting radiallyinward from an inner peripheral edge of the yoke 26. The plurality ofteeth 28 is disposed at regular intervals in the circumferentialdirection, and a slot 30, which is a space where the stator coil 24 isplaced, is formed between two adjacent teeth 28.

The stator coil 24 includes a U-phase coil, a V-phase coil, and aW-phase coil. The stator coil 24 is configured as a segment coil, andthe segment coil is configured such that a plurality of conductorsegments 32 is joined to each other.

FIG. 2 illustrates one conductor segment 32 before assembling to thestator core 22. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the conductor segment 32 isformed such that a flat conductive material having a generallyrectangular section and coated with insulation resin is bent generallyin a U-shape. At a stage before the assembling to the stator core 22,the conductor segment 32 includes a pair of linear parts 50, and aconnecting part 34 that connects the pair of linear parts 50 to eachother.

At the time when the conductor segment 32 is assembled to the statorcore 22, the pair of linear parts 50 are inserted into respective slots30. Hereby, the connecting part 34 extends in the circumferentialdirection so as to cross a plurality of teeth 28 on a second axial endside of the stator core 22. Further, tip ends 40 of the linear parts 50are inserted into the slots 30 and then bent in the circumferentialdirection in a middle thereof as indicated by an alternate long and twoshort dashes line in FIG. 2. Hereby, the linear parts 50 become legparts 36 extending in the axial direction inside the slots 30, andbridge parts 38 extending in the circumferential direction on a firstaxial end side of the stator core 22.

The conductor segment 32 is coated with the insulation resin asdescribed above, but the insulation resin is removed only from the tipends 40 of the linear parts 50. This is to secure electrical connectionwith other conductor segments 32. The tip ends 40 are joined to eachother by welding or the like. This joining will be described later.

Next will be described an arrangement of the conductor segments 32 andthe tip ends 40 with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. FIG. 3 schematicallyillustrates an arrangement relationship of the tip ends 40 of theconductor segments 32 in a coil end, and FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of apart A in FIG. 3. The enlarged view of the part A illustrates tip ends40 of a U1-phase, a U2-phase, a V1-phase, and a V2-phase. Note that, inFIGS. 3 and 4, a reference sign of a corresponding phase is assigned toeach conductor segment 32 and each tip end 40.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, the conductor segments 32 are placedrepeatedly in an order of the U1-phase, the U2-phase, the V1-phase, theV2-phase, a W1-phase, and a W2-phase in the circumferential direction.As illustrated in FIG. 4, a tip-end distance G1 a between tip ends 40U2,40V1 in different phases (e.g., the U2-phase and the V1-phase) andadjacent to each other in the circumferential direction is larger than atip-end distance G2 a between tip ends 40U1, 40U2 in the same phase (theU1-phase and the U2-phase) and adjacent to each other in thecircumferential direction. That is, a relationship of the tip-enddistance G1 a in different phases >the tip-end distance G2 a in the samephase is established.

Further, a conductor-segment distance G1 b in the axial directionbetween conductor segments 32U2, 32V1 in different phases (e.g., theU2-phase and the V1-phase) and adjacent to each other in thecircumferential direction is larger than a conductor-segment distance G2b in the axial direction between conductor segments 32U1, 32U2 in thesame phase (e.g., the U1-phase and the U2-phase) and adjacent to eachother in the circumferential direction. That is, a relationship of theconductor-segment distance G1 b in different phases >theconductor-segment distance G2 b in the same phase is satisfied. Further,a conductor-segment distance G1 c in different phases in an orthogonaldirection to surfaces of the conductor segments 32 is larger than aconductor-segment distance G2 c in the same phase.

Referring back to FIG. 3, as a method for defining sizes of the tip-enddistances G1 a, G2 a and the conductor-segment distances G1 b, G1 c, G2b, G2 c, at the time of bending the conductor segment 32U2, a positionof the tip end 40U2 of the conductor segment 32U2 is adjusted so thatthe tip end 40U2 of the conductor segment 32U2 approaches the tip end40U1 of the conductor segment 32U1.

That is, tip ends of conductor segments in the related art are placed atregular intervals (at a distance P1), but in the present embodiment, theconductor segment 32U2 is bent so that the tip end 40U2 approaches thetip end 40U1, that is, a distance between the tip end 40U2 and the tipend 40U1 in the same phase is a distance P2 (P2<P1), which is smallerthan the distance P1. On this account, a distance between the tip end40U2 and the tip end 40V1 in different phases is a distance P3 (P3>P1),which is larger than the distance P1. Further, a distance by which thetip end 40U2 approaches the tip end 40U1 is a distance L1 (=P1−P2). Thedistance L1 is set based on a specification of the conductor segment32U2 or the tip end 40U2 appropriately. As a result, the distance P3>thedistance P2 is established, so that the relationship of the tip-enddistance G1 a>the tip-end distance G2 a is established.

Further, similarly, in terms of tip ends 40V2, 40W2 of conductorsegments 32V2, 32W2, positions of the tip ends 40V2, 40W2 are adjustedat the time of bending the conductor segments 32V2, 32W2. Note that aspecific position adjustment of the tip ends 40U2, 40V2, 40W2 will bedescribed later.

Next will be described the bending of the conductor segments 32 and theposition adjustment of the tip ends 40 at the time of the bending withreference to FIGS. 5 to 8. FIG. 5 illustrates a schematic configurationof a bending device 60 for bending the conductor segments 32. Asillustrated in FIG. 5, the bending device 60 includes: a stator corefixing portion 62 configured to fix the stator core 22 in which theconductor segments 32 are inserted into the slots 30; an annular jig 64configured to bend the conductor segment 32; a jig holding portion 66configured to rotate the jig 64 and move the jig 64 up and down in theaxial direction; and a controlling portion 68 configured to controloperations of the stator core fixing portion 62, the jig 64, and the jigholding portion 66.

Note that the configuration of the bending device 60 other than the jig64 is similar to a configuration of a well-known bending device (seeJapanese Patent Application Publication No. 2006-136082 (JP 2006-136082A)), and therefore, a description thereof is omitted. The followingspecifically describes the jig 64 configured to bend the conductorsegments 32.

FIG. 6 is a partial enlarged view when the jig 64 is viewed from a sidesurface. As illustrated in FIG. 6, the jig 64 includes a first jig 70configured to bend the conductor segments 32U1, 32V1, 32W1, and a secondjig 72 configured to bend the conductor segments 32U2, 32V2, 32W2. Thefirst jig 70 includes protrusions 71 configured to bend the conductorsegments 32U1, 32V1, 32W1. The protrusions 71 are disposed at distancesP20 corresponding to arrangement positions of the conductor segments32U1, 32V1, 32W1. The distance P20 is twice as large as a distance P10,and the distance P10 is the same distance as the distance P1 illustratedin FIG. 3. Further, the protrusion 71 includes: a tilting surface 71 aconfigured to abut with the tip end 40 of the conductor segment 32 andto tilt and bend the conductor segment 32 in the circumferentialdirection; and a position defining surface 71 b configured to define aposition of the tip end 40 of the conductor segment 32 after theconductor segment 32 is bent.

The second jig 72 has an annular shape having a diameter smaller thanthe first jig 70, and is disposed inside the first jig 70. Asillustrated in FIG. 7, an inner peripheral surface of the first jig 70slidably makes contact with an outer peripheral surface of the secondjig 72. Further, the second jig 72 has a shape similar to the first jig70. Protrusions 73 of the second jig 72 are disposed so as to correspondto arrangement positions of the conductor segments 32U2, 32V2, 32W2. Adisposition distance is the same as the protrusions 71, and theprotrusions 73 are disposed at the distances P20. The distance P20 istwice as large as the distance P10, and the distance P10 is the samedistance as the distance P1 illustrated in FIG. 3. On this account, theprotrusions 71, 73 are disposed at the same distance P10 as the distanceP1 illustrated in FIG. 3.

The jig holding portion 66 that holds the first jig 70 and the secondjig 72 includes respective actuators configured to rotationally drivethe first jig 70 and the second jig 72, so as to rotationally drive thefirst jig 70 and the second jig 72, individually. These actuators arecontrolled by the controlling portion 68, and can reversely rotate thesecond jig 72 after the rotation of the first jig 70, or can stop therotation of the second jig 72 during the rotation of the first jig 70,for example. Note that operations of the first jig 70 and the second jig72 will be describe later more specifically.

Next will be described a manufacturing process of the stator 20 withreference to FIG. 8. A manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing thestator 20 includes: an insertion device configured to insert theconductor segments 32 into the stator core 22; the bending device 60configured to bend the conductor segments 32 projecting from the slots30; and a welding device configured to join the tip ends 40 of the bentconductor segments 32 thus bent. As illustrated in FIG. 8, themanufacture of the stator 20 includes: an insertion step (step S10) ofinserting the conductor segments 32 into the slots 30 of the stator core22; a bending step (step S20) of bending the conductor segments 32projecting from the slots 30, following the insertion step; and ajoining step (step S30) of joining the tip ends 40 of the conductorsegments 32 thus bent.

In step S10, the conductor segments 32 illustrated in FIG. 2 areinserted into the slots 30 of the stator core 22 from the first axialend side. After the conductor segments 32 are inserted into all theslots 30, the stator core 22 is carried into the bending device 60.

In step S20, the stator core 22 carried into the bending device 60 isfixed with the stator core fixing portion 62. After the fixation of thestator core 22, the jig 64 is moved down, and the protrusions 71 of thefirst jig 70 and the protrusions 73 of the second jig 72 are broughtinto contact with the tip ends 40 of their corresponding conductorsegments 32. From this state, the first jig 70 and the second jig 72 aremoved down and rotated so as to tilt and bend the conductor segments 32.

This bending operation will be described with reference to FIG. 9. FIG.9 illustrates the bending operation of the conductor segment 32U1 andthe conductor segment 32U2 adjacent to the conductor segment 32U1. Asillustrated in FIG. 9, the protrusion 71 is moved down and rotated froma position H1 a where the protrusion 71 abuts with the tip end 40U1 ofthe conductor segment 32U1, such that the protrusion 71 moves throughthe position H1 a, a position H2 a, and a position H3 a, so that thetilting surface 71 a of the protrusion 71 presses the tip end 40U1 so asto press down (bend) the conductor segment 32U1. When the protrusion 71moves to a position H4 a, the tip end 40U1 is separated from the tiltingsurface 71 a and abuts with the position defining surface 71 b. Further,when the protrusion 71 moves from the position H4 a to a position H5 a,a position of the tip end 40U1 in the circumferential direction isdefined by the position defining surface 71 b of the protrusion 71. Notethat a movement locus at the time when the protrusion 71 moves from theposition H1 a to the position H5 a is indicated by a reference sign K1.Further, the movement locus K1 is extracted to be illustrated in acharacteristic view.

In the meantime, in FIG. 9, similarly to the protrusion 71, theprotrusion 73 presses down (bends) the conductor segment 32U2 inconjunction with the moving-down and rotating of the protrusion 71. Thatis, the protrusion 73 moves in a similar manner to the protrusion 71from a position H1 b to a position H5 b. After the operation of theprotrusion 71 is finished, the protrusion 73 rotates reversely from theposition H5 b to a position H6 b. A reverse rotation angle is an anglecorresponding to a distance L1. The distance L1 is the same distance asthe distance L1 illustrated in FIG. 3. That is, the protrusion 73 pushesback the tip end 40U2 only by the distance L1, so as to adjust aposition of the tip end 40U2. Since the tip end 40U2 is pushed back bythe distance L1, the tip end 40U2 approaches the tip end 40U1. Further,a movement locus at the time when the protrusion 73 moves from theposition H1 b to the position H6 b is indicated by a reference sign K2,and the movement locus K2 is extracted to be illustrated in acharacteristic view.

As apparent from a comparison between the movement locus K1 of theprotrusion 71 and the movement locus K2 of the protrusion 73, theprotrusion 73 reversely rotates independently from the protrusion 71after the operation of the protrusion 71 is finished. Due to the reverserotation, the tip end 40U2 is pushed back only by the distance L1 andapproaches the tip end 40U1, as illustrated in FIG. 3. As a result, asillustrated in FIG. 4, a distance between the tip end 40U1 and the tipend 40U2 in the same phase is narrowed and a distance between the tipend 40U2 and the tip end 40V1 in different phases is widened, so thatthe relationship of the tip-end distance G1 a>the tip-end distance G2 ais established.

Further, another conductor segment 32U1 in the same phase to be joinedto the tip end 40U1 of the conductor segment 32U1 is bent by another jig64 in a reverse direction along the circumferential direction, so thatthe tip ends 40 of the conductor segments 32 in the same phase areplaced at a position where they abut with each other. Other conductorsegments 32V1, 32V2, 32 W1, 32W2 are also bent in the same manner.

In step S30, contacting parts between the tip ends 40U1 of the conductorsegments 32U1 in the same phase are irradiated with laser so that thoseparts are welded to each other. Laser welding can perform heatinglocally, and therefore, even if the tip ends are placed closely, onlydesired tip ends 40U1 can be welded. As a result, the plurality ofconductor segments 32U1 can be connected electrically. By welding thetip ends 40 of all the conductor segments 32, the stator coil 24 isfinished.

As such, in the circumferential direction and in the axial direction, adistance between the tip ends 40 in the same phase can be narrowed and adistance between the tip ends 40 in different phases can be widened.Further, a creepage distance between the tip ends 40 in different phasescan be also increased. As illustrated in FIG. 4, for example, a distance(a different-phase distance) in the circumferential direction and theaxial direction between the tip end 40U2 and the tip end 40V1 indifferent phases can be made larger than a distance (a same-phasedistance) between the tip end 40U1 and the tip end 40U2 in the samephase. This makes it possible to improve an insulating property of thetip ends 40 in different phases between which a potential difference islarge. As a result, it is not necessary to coat the tip ends 40 with theinsulation resin, which does not require an insulation step of the tipends 40, thereby making it possible to restrain an increase in cost.

Further, similarly to the tip ends 40, in the circumferential directionand in the axial direction, a distance between the conductor segments 32in the same phase can be narrowed and a distance between the conductorsegments 32 in different phases can be widened. This makes it possibleto improve an insulating property between the conductor segments 32 indifferent phases. Further, the coating of the insulation resin thatcoats the conductor segments 32 can be reduced in thickness, therebymaking it possible to reduce a used amount of the insulation resin.

Further, the tip ends 40 intersecting at the time when the linear parts50 of the conductor segments 32 are bent are welded by laser, therebymaking it is possible to shorten a length of the stator 20 in the axialdirection. This consequently makes it possible to downsize the stator 20while securing the insulating property of the tip ends 40 and theconductor segments 32.

Further, by bending the conductor segments 32 by the bending device 60using the jig 64, it is possible to manufacture, in a single step, asegment coil in which the distance between the tip ends 40 in the samephase is small and the distance between the tip end 40 in differentphases is large. On this account, it is possible to manufacture thestator 20 having an improved insulating property of the tip ends 40 withmanufacture efficiency at a restrained manufacturing cost.

Next will be described another bending operation of the conductorsegments 32 with reference to FIG. 10. Similarly to FIG. 9, FIG. 10illustrates a bending operation of the conductor segment 32U1 and theconductor segment 32U2 adjacent to the conductor segment 32U1. In FIG.10, a bending operation of the conductor segment 32U1 is the same as thebending operation of the conductor segment 32U1 illustrated in FIG. 9,and therefore, a description thereof is omitted. With reference to FIG.10, a bending operation of the conductor segment 32U2 by the protrusion73 will be described.

In FIG. 10, similarly to the protrusion 71, the protrusion 73 pressesdown (bends) the conductor segment 32U2 in conjunction with themoving-down and rotating of the protrusion 71. In the bending operation,an operation from a position H1 c to a position H4 c is the same as theoperation from the position H1 b to the position H4 b illustrated inFIG. 9.

The protrusion 73 stops a rotative motion at the position H4 c and staysat the position H4 c. A moving-down operation is kept performed, so thatthe protrusion 73 moves from the position H4 c to a position H5 c alongthe axial direction. At the position H4 c, the tip end 40U2 abuts withthe position defining surface 73 b of the protrusion 73, so that the tipend 40U2 moves to the position H5 c together with the protrusion 73.

The position H4 c and the position H5 c are a position short from theposition H5 a in the circumferential direction only by a distance L1,and this distance L1 is the same distance as the distance L1 illustratedin FIG. 3. That is, the tip end 40U2 stays at a position short from thetip end 40U1 only by the distance L1. Because of this, the tip end 40U2approaches the tip end 40U1. Further, a movement locus at the time whenthe protrusion 73 moves from the position H1 c to the position H5 c isindicated by a reference sign K3, and the movement locus K3 is extractedto be illustrated in a characteristic view.

As apparent from a comparison between the movement locus K1 of theprotrusion 71 and the movement locus K3 of the protrusion 73, theprotrusion 73 stops rotating during the rotation, so that its movementin the circumferential direction is stopped and the protrusion 73 staysat this position. Since the protrusion 73 stays, the tip end 40U2 staysat a position short from the tip end 40U1 only by the distance L1 andapproaches the tip end 40U1 as illustrated in FIG. 3. As a result, asillustrated in FIG. 4, the distance between the tip end 40U1 and the tipend 40U2 in the same phase is narrowed and the distance between the tipend 40U2 and the tip end 40V1 in different phases is widened, so thatthe relationship of the tip-end distance G1 a>the tip-end distance G2 ais established.

Even by such a bending operation of the conductor segments 32, thedistance between the tip ends 40 in the same phase can be narrowed andthe distance between the tip ends 40 in different phases can be widenedin the circumferential direction and in the axial direction. Forexample, as illustrated in FIG. 4, the distance (the different-phasedistance) in the circumferential direction and the axial directionbetween the tip end 40U2 and the tip end 40V1 in different phases can bemade larger than the distance (the same-phase distance) between the tipend 40U1 and the tip end 40U2.

Note that the configuration in which intersecting parts that intersectwith each other at the time when the conductor segments 32 are bent arejoined by welding has been described, but the configuration of thepresent disclosure can be also applied to a configuration in whichlinear parts obtained by axially extending the conductor segments 32from the intersecting parts are joined by welding.

What is claimed is:
 1. A stator for a rotary electric machine, thestator comprising: a stator core including slots provided at a pluralityof positions in a circumferential direction; and a stator coilconfigured such that a tip end of a conductor segment projecting from astator-core axial end surface of each of the slots and bent in thecircumferential direction of the stator core is joined to a tip end ofanother conductor segment in the same phase, a conductive material beingexposed from the tip ends of the conductor segments, and a distancebetween the tip ends in different phases and adjacent to each other inthe circumferential direction of the stator core being larger than adistance between the tip ends in the same phase and adjacent to eachother in the circumferential direction of the stator core.
 2. The statorfor the rotary electric machine, according to claim 1, wherein adistance between the conductor segments in different phases and adjacentto each other in the circumferential direction of the stator core islarger than a distance between the conductor segments in the same phaseand adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction of thestator core.
 3. A manufacturing apparatus for a stator for a rotaryelectric machine, the manufacturing apparatus comprising: a jigconfigured to bend, in a stator-core circumferential direction,conductor segments projecting from stator-core axial end surfaces ofslots provided in a stator core, the jig including a first jigconfigured to bend one conductor segment out of the conductor segmentsin the same phase and adjacent to each other in the stator-corecircumferential direction, and a second jig configured to bend the otherconductor segment, the second jig being configured to bend the otherconductor segment such that a tip end of the other conductor segmentapproaches a tip end of the one conductor segment at a time when thefirst jig bends the one conductor segment.
 4. The manufacturingapparatus for the stator for the rotary electric machine, according toclaim 3, wherein the first jig includes a protrusion configured to bendthe one conductor segment; and the protrusion includes a tilting surfaceconfigured to abut with the tip end of the one conductor segment and totilt and bend the one conductor segment in the circumferentialdirection, and a position defining surface configured to define aposition of the tip end of the one conductor segment after the oneconductor segment is bent.
 5. A stator for a rotary electric machine,the stator comprising: a stator core including slots provided at aplurality of positions in a circumferential direction; and a stator coilconfigured such that a tip end of a conductor segment projecting from astator-core axial end surface of each of the slots and bent in thecircumferential direction of the stator core is joined to a tip end ofanother conductor segment in the same phase, a distance between the tipends in different phases and adjacent to each other in thecircumferential direction of the stator core being larger than adistance between the tip ends in the same phase and adjacent to eachother in the circumferential direction of the stator core.